Pres. Robert Brown expresses “profound disappointment” with Roe nullification

Boston University will continue to provide healthcare support and services to guarantee women’s reproductive rights, BU President Robert Brown said on June 24 in an open letter to the school’s community.

According to the letter, Boston University will continue offering reproductive choices in student pregnancy counseling services. Faculty and staff health insurances will also continue to cover the cost of reproductive healthcare procedures. 

“I had hoped that the day would not come when I would write to express my profound disappointment over an action of the Supreme Court of the United States,” Brown said. “To annul the 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade is an enormous step backward in protecting the rights of all women in our country.”

Jen Childs-Roshak, a BU alumna serving as President and CEO of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, said in a June 24 statement that the Supreme Court’s decision will cause “devastating” consequences to women all across the country.

“Abortion is health care, and access to care should not be based on one’s zip code, income level, or identity,” Childs-Roshak said.

The Association of American Medical Colleges President and CEO David Skorton said the association “strongly opposes” the Supreme Court decision overruling abortion as a constitutional right.

According to a June 24 statement, AAMC will continue to provide the full range of reproductive healthcare training for future physicians and physician assistants in medical schools and hospitals across the country.

“Everyone should be able to access comprehensive health care, including women of reproductive age,” Skorton said. “It is crucial that physicians have comprehensive training in the full spectrum of reproductive health care.”

Prior to the nullification, AAMC has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring access to safe and effective reproductive healthcare in a March press release, saying policies “limiting access to legal abortion care put the patient at risk and will exacerbate existing health inequities.”

On June 24, the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision overturning landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade.

This decision appears to have come against the public’s wishes. According to a March survey by Pew Research Center, a majority of 61% of U.S. adults think abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Among people who took the survey, 80% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning individuals and 38% of Republicans and Republican leaners believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

Following the ruling, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed an executive order to protect access to reproductive healthcare services.

Under the executive order, Massachusetts will not cooperate with extradition requests from other states pursuing criminal charges against individuals involved in reproductive health services that are legal in the state.

“I am deeply disappointed in today’s decision by the Supreme Court,” Baker said in a statement. “This executive order will further preserve that right and protect reproductive health care providers who serve out of state residents.”